1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices for removing grease from food items, and more particularly to a device for absorbing or blotting grease from the surface of delicate food items such as pizza.
2. Preliminary Discussion
Scientists are learning more and more every day about the deleterious effects of excess fat and fatty foods on the human body. Such information has made consumers increasingly conscious of their eating habits in general, causing them to try to minimize the amount of fat or oils contained in their diets. At the same time, the average consumer is also working longer hours and generally has a very busy or hectic schedule, leaving less time to satisfy his or her hunger pangs or appetite. Consequently, xe2x80x9cfast foodxe2x80x9d has become a standard part of the diet of the working population. However, while xe2x80x9cfast foodxe2x80x9d can quickly satisfy such hunger pangs, over the long term healthier foods and a balanced diet are required for nutritional sustenance for consumers to remain healthy, alert, and productive.
One xe2x80x9cfast foodxe2x80x9d that has enjoyed increasing popularity in recent years is pizza. Pizza has several advantages over other fast foods. First, many consumers believe that pizza smells and tastes better than more traditional fast foods such as hamburgers, fried chicken, french fries, tacos, or the like. In addition, unlike many other fast foods, pizza can be easily reheated without losing much of its original flavor. Another advantage is that pizza is often delivered, so workers do not have to wait in line or even leave their homes or offices for such pizza to be served. Pizza is also often consumed in a group setting, since a single large pizza pie can usually satisfy the appetite of three of four normal sized persons. A further advantage of pizza over other xe2x80x9cfast foodsxe2x80x9d is that consuming a slice or slices of pizza is generally considered healthier than consuming other higher-fat, lower carbohydrate fast foods. For one thing, the pizza crust provides carbohydrates, and the cheese provides protein and calcium. In addition, a pizza may be topped with any number of vitamin and mineral rich vegetables, especially green peppers, broccoli, or spinach. Finally, pizza is not as subject to bacterial deterioration as some other foods, which, if left unrefrigerated, can quickly become dangerously infected with bacterial food poisoning agents.
Although pizza has numerous nutritional advantages over many other xe2x80x9cfast foods,xe2x80x9d most pizzas contain a rather thick layer of cheese, which cheese contains large quantities of fat. When the pizza is cooked or heated in a pizza oven, the cheese melts, thereby causing grease to separate from the cheese and to collect or form in pockets on the surface of the pizza. Such condition can be even further aggravated if the pizza contains additional fatty toppings, such as pepperoni, Italian sausage, or ground beef, which release additional amounts of grease during heating. A further disadvantage is that since a pizza slice is usually consumed virtually immediately after it has been cooked or heated, the grease released from the cheese and toppings is still extremely hot and can severely burn the roof of one""s mouth, which is not only painful, but may also damage the taste buds for a short or sometimes longer duration.
Thus, while it is well known that grease and fats add flavor to many foods, most consumers try to remove at least some of the excess pools or pockets of grease from the surface of a pizza slice prior to eating, generally to decrease the overall fat content of such slice. One method commonly employed to remove grease from the surface of a slice of pizza is to fold or bend the slice so that the grease is channeled generally into the center portion of the fold, wherein the slice is tilted at an angle so that the grease flows off. However, while this removes some of the grease from the food item, overall folding is not very effective, since a significant amount of grease will remain on the surface absent complete mangling of the slice. In addition, by the time a consumer is ready to consume a second or third slice, such slices will have significantly cooled, allowing much of the grease to resolidify. Thus, using this method, a consumer usually cannot remove a satisfactory quantity of grease, and a relatively large quantity is still consumed during eating.
Another commonly employed method is to blot the slice by hand using an absorbent implement such as a paper napkin or towel. Although overall this method may remove more grease than folding, often pieces of the napkin or towel will tear off and become stuck on the surface of the cheese. Such method is also generally inefficient and messy. In addition, blotting using a regular napkin or towel is also usually only practical to remove grease when the food is hot or essentially right out of the oven, since the grease will solidify quickly at room temperature. Thus, it rapidly becomes difficult or even impossible to remove most of the grease from the entire surface of foods such as pizza shortly after cooking unless the food is reheated so that the temperature of the food is once again high enough for the grease to liquefy.
3. Description of Related Art
While there are numerous devices known in the prior art for absorbing liquids or moisture generally, and more specifically for blotting or removing grease, none of such devices claims the particular advantages of the inventor""s device, which can be used to quickly and easily remove most of the grease from the surface of a hot food such as pizza or other foods where the grease accumulates on the surface of the food without the food item itself becoming mangled or otherwise misshapen or damaged during the removal process.
Bag-like structures having a grease absorbent lining material for absorbing grease, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,070,899 issued to J. P. Lappin, Jr. on Jan. 1, 1963, entitled xe2x80x9cAbsorbent Device to Absorb Grease from Articles,xe2x80x9d are well known. When greasy foods are placed in the bag and the bag is shaken vigorously, grease is transferred from the food onto the absorbent material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,907 issued to B. Power on Jan. 15, 1991, entitled xe2x80x9cGrease Absorbent Device,xe2x80x9d discloses similar bag-type grease absorbing device into which greasy foods are placed immediately after cooking and gently shaken. U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,518 issued to L. H. Lee on Oct. 11, 1994, entitled xe2x80x9cImplement to Blot Grease from Solid Foodstuff,xe2x80x9d also discloses a similar bag-like structure which uses an air-evacuating pump means such that when the pump is turned on, the absorbent layer is pulled tightly against the foodstuff, causing the grease to be blotted onto the absorbing material. Although such devices are useful for removing grease from the surface of deep-fried or relatively solid foods, they could not be used on pizza-like foods, since such foods would be essentially destroyed by vigorous or even gentle shaking.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,921 issued to D. E. Jury on Feb. 7, 1978, entitled xe2x80x9cDisposable Grease Absorbing Mitt,xe2x80x9d discloses a grease-absorbing pad having a mitt-like pocket into which the hand of the user is slipped. Such mitt, however, is designed to absorb grease in a cleaning task, and the Jung reference does not teach use of the mitt for absorbing grease directly from the surface of foods.
Absorbent pads are also well known for other specific uses, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,611 issued to M. Wishman on May 3, 1983, entitled xe2x80x9cMethod and Apparatus for Absorbing Moisture,xe2x80x9d which discloses a pad that is primarily intended for absorbing body perspiration and other body fluids. Another example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,836 issued to A. Colognori on Oct. 9, 1984, entitled xe2x80x9cBackscrubber and/or Backscratcher with Removable Sponge Element,xe2x80x9d which discloses a sponge and handle element for scrubbing or scratching one""s back. U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,847 issued to J. R. Melcher on May 25, 1993, entitled xe2x80x9cSwab and Method of Manufacturing and Using It,xe2x80x9d discloses an applicator consisting of a sponge-like absorbent pad and a handle having rearwardly extending barbs which extend into the pad to secure the handle in place. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,281 issued to D. L. Pelfrey on Sep. 9, 1997, entitled xe2x80x9cSuntan Lotion Applicator, discloses an applicator having a circular shaped sponge pad for applying suntan lotion to the body and having an adjustable elongated handle for holding the sponge. Such references are not designed for absorbing grease from foods, however, and pieces of the pad surface might easily come loose and lodge in the food itself.
Grease absorbing pads are also commonly used in connection with microwaveable foods such as frozen dinners and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,248 issued to B. M. Phillips on May 9, 1995, entitled xe2x80x9cGrease and Moisture Absorbing Inserts for Microwave Cooking,xe2x80x9d discloses a pad designed to remove excess grease and moisture from foodstuffs in microwaveable food containers. Such pads are designed primarily to be placed underneath foodstuffs, however, rather than to blot the surface of foods. U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,396 issued to R. J. Weidner on Sep. 29, 1998, entitled xe2x80x9cGrease Absorbing Pad,xe2x80x9d discloses another pad designed to remove grease from foods during cooking in a microwave oven.
The inventor is also aware of several products designed to absorb grease from liquid or aqueous mixtures. U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,406 issued to R. J. Novak on Apr. 28, 19984, entitled xe2x80x9cMethod for Easy Removal of Fats, Oils and Grease from Mixtures with Water and Aqueous Components,xe2x80x9d discloses a pad for removing unwanted oils and fats from cooked foods without removing any desired water and nutrient salts. However, the Novak pads are designed to be dipped in liquid foods such as soups, and do not have a handle means such that the pads can be used simply for blotting the surface of a foodstuff. The inventor is also aware of a commercially available grease absorbing device called the xe2x80x9cFat Mop(copyright),xe2x80x9d which is comprised of strips of absorbent material attached to a handle element, similar to a conventional mop, such that the strips are brushed over the surface of foods to absorb grease. However, the strips of the xe2x80x9cFat Mop(copyright)xe2x80x9d cannot be used as quickly and efficiently as the present invention to absorb grease from larger items such as an entire pizza.
Thus, there is still a need for a product which is disposable and can be used to easily and quickly blot grease from the surface of foods such as in particular pizza slices or entire pizzas prior to consumption of such foods, and which product is safe and sanitary and is effective in removing a substantial portion of the grease that normally accumulates on the surface of foods during and immediately after baking or cooking.
It is an object of the present invention therefore to provide an article or device for blotting or removing grease from the surface of foodstuffs.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an article or device for blotting or removing grease from the surface of foodstuffs where the blotter is inexpensive to manufacture.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an article or device for blotting or removing grease from the surface of foodstuffs wherein either the entire article or the blotting portion may be readily disposable.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a disposable pad for blotting grease from the surface of foodstuffs such as pizza where such pad is shaped and sized to blot the surface of either a whole pizza or a pizza slice.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a device for blotting grease from the surface of foodstuffs such as pizza comprising a corrugated cardboard support or holding member having a die cut handle portion to facilitate manipulation of a pad portion, which pad portion contacts the surface of the foodstuff.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a plurality of such devices in the form of a kit.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will become clear upon review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the appended drawings.
An article or device for blotting grease and oils from the surface of foodstuffs such as pizza is provided. The blotter consists essentially of a disposable pad and a support or holding member for such pad. In one preferred embodiment, the support member is made from inexpensive corrugated cardboard generally cut in the same shape as the pad, with the pad secured to one side of the support member. The corrugated cardboard support or holding member preferably includes a die cut handle which handle is moved to a raised position when the device is to be used to blot grease from the surface of a food item, wherein the pad is placed in light or soft contact with the surface of the foodstuff for a time sufficient for a large portion of the grease to be absorbed into the pad. Once the pad has been used, it can either be removed from the support member and discarded and a new pad secured to the holder, or, alternatively, the entire blotting device can be discarded. The size and shape of such pads can be varied to accommodate different sized dishes such as whole pizza pies, individual slices, or other foods such as soups or other food items where grease normally accumulates on the surface during cooking. In another embodiment, the support or holding member is preferably made from plastic, and the absorbent pad is secured to the support member either by an adhesive on the upper surface of the pad or through the use of tabs on the pads which are secured to the top surface of the support member by a clamping means. Such tabs may also be used to remove a used pad from the support member without having to touch such pad. The inventor contemplates that his food blotting device can be used both by restaurants and fast food establishments as well as by individuals, and may be sold in a package or kit form containing a quantity of blotters for consecutive use on pizza-type food or pizza slices, or wherein blotters of various shapes or sizes would be provided as convenient or desired for removal of grease from various shapes or sizes of pizza-type food items. The inventor""s device provides a simple and inexpensive means for removing grease from the surface of heated food items, and particularly delicate food items such that the food item is not mangled or otherwise altered.